The present invention relates to sea transportation vessels and methodologies generally and more particularly to vessels and methodologies for transport of liquids.
The following U.S. Patents are believed to represent the current state of the art: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,047,655; 5,971,039; 5,488,921; 5,445,093; 5,413,065; 5,355,819; 5,235,928; 5,010,837; 4,881,482; 4,399,768; 4,227,477; 3,779,196; 3,750,723; 3,067,712.
The present invention seeks to provide highly efficient and cost effective vessels and methodologies for sea transport of liquids.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention an apparatus for sea transport of liquids. The apparatus includes a first enclosure, an at least partially flexible second enclosure disposed within the first enclosure and being adapted when filled, to generally fill the first enclosure, one of the first and second enclosures being a light liquid enclosure and the other of the first and second enclosures being a sea water enclosure, a light liquid port coupled to the light liquid enclosure for selectably filling it with a liquid lighter than sea water and a sea water port coupled to the sea water enclosure for selectably allowing sea water to fill it, thereby causing light liquid to be expelled against the force of gravity from the light liquid enclosure.
There is also provided in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for transport of liquids over seas. The method includes providing a vessel including a first enclosure and an at least partially flexible second enclosure disposed within the first enclosure and being adapted when filled, to generally fill the first enclosure, one of the first and second enclosures being a light liquid enclosure and the other of the first and second enclosures being an sea water enclosure, loading the vessel by selectably filling the light liquid enclosure with a liquid lighter than sea water and unloading the vessel by selectably allowing sea water to fill the sea water enclosure, hereby causing light liquid to be expelled against the force of gravity from the light liquid enclosure.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the first enclosure is a flexible enclosure. Preferably, the flexible enclosure includes a plurality of mutually spaced enclosure cross-section defining elements, which are joined by a tube of flexible material. Typically, the tube of flexible material is attached to the cross-section defining elements by means of an attachment assembly.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the attachment assembly includes a tube attachment band overlapped with at least one portion of the flexible material and having a tensile strength greatly in excess of that of the flexible material, a plurality of spaced attachment straps joined at least to the at least one edge portion of the flexible material and to the attachment band and extending generally perpendicularly to the attachment band, the attachment straps having a tensile strength greatly in excess of that of the flexible material, a plurality of rings, each ring being engaged by one of the plurality of attachment, straps ring attachment straps interconnecting the plurality of rings and having a tensile strength greatly in excess of that of the flexible material.
Preferably, the cross-section defining elements are each formed with a plurality of hooks for engaging the rings.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the hooks and the rings are dimensioned so as to enable a ring to disengage from a hook only when not tensioned in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the cross-section defining elements.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tube is an integral tube which extends along a length of the flexible enclosure.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tube includes a plurality of tube sections, each of which is attached at opposite edges thereof to a cross-section defining element.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the flexible enclosure is formed with at least one overpressure release assembly.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the light liquid enclosure and the sea water enclosure extend along generally the entire length of the first enclosure.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the light liquid enclosure and the sea water enclosure are divided into a plurality of compartments extending serially along generally the entire length of the first enclosure.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the loading takes place principally by gravity and the unloading take place principally without requiring pumping.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, during travel of the vessel from a loading location to an unloaded location, the vessel is nearly completely underwater.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention an apparatus for transport of liquids. The apparatus includes a flexible enclosure including a plurality of spaced, relatively rigid enclosure cross-section defining elements each pair of which are joined by a tube of flexible material.
There is further provided in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for water transport of fluids. The method includes providing a vessel including a flexible enclosure including a plurality of spaced, relatively rigid enclosure cross-section defining elements which are joined by a tube of flexible material, the flexible enclosure being formed to define therewithin first and second fluid enclosures, each of which may be filled to generally fill the flexible enclosure and thus empty the other, loading the vessel by selectably filling the first fluid enclosure of a first fluid and unloading the vessel by selectably allowing fluid to fill the second enclosure, thereby causing the second fluid to be expelled against the force of gravity from the first enclosure.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the flexible enclosure is formed to define therewithin first and second fluid enclosures, each of which may be filled to generally fill the flexible enclosure and thus empty the other.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tube of flexible material is attached to the cross-section defining elements by means of an attachment assembly. Preferably, the attachment assembly includes a tube attachment band overlapped with at least one portion of the flexible material and having a tensile strength greatly in excess of that of the flexible material, a plurality of spaced attachment straps joined at least to the at least one edge portion of the flexible material and to the attachment band and extending generally perpendicularly to the attachment band, the attachment straps having a tensile strength greatly in excess of that of the flexible material, a plurality of rings, each ring being engaged by one of the plurality of attachment straps, ring attachment straps interconnecting the plurality of rings and having a tensile strength greatly in excess of that of the flexible material.
Typically, the cross-section defining elements are each formed with a plurality of hooks for engaging the rings.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the hooks and the rings are dimensioned so as to enable a ring to disengage from a hook only when not tensioned in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the cross-section defining elements.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tube is an integral tube, which extends along a length of the flexible enclosure.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tube includes a plurality of tube sections, each of which is attached at opposite edges thereof to a cross-section defining element.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the flexible enclosure is formed with at least one overpressure release assembly.
Preferably, the first and second enclosures extend along generally the entire length of the first enclosure.
Alternatively, the first and second enclosures are divided into a plurality of compartments extending serially along generally the entire length of the first enclosure.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tube of flexible material is attached to the cross-section defining elements by means of an attachment assembly.
Preferably, the attachment assembly includes a tube attachment band overlapped with at least one portion of the flexible material and having a tensile strength greatly in excess of the of the flexible material, a plurality of spaced attachment straps joined at least to the at least one edge portion of the flexible material and to the attachment band and extending generally perpendicularly to the attachment band, the attachment straps having a tensile strength greatly in excess of that of the flexible material, a plurality of rings, each ring being engaged by one of the plurality of attachment straps, ring attachment straps interconnecting the plurality of rings and having a tensile strength greatly in excess of that of the flexible material.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the cross-section defining elements are each formed with a plurality of hooks for engaging the rings.
Preferably, the hooks and the rings are dimensioned so as to enable a ring to disengage from a hook only when not tensioned in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the cross-section defining elements.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tube is an integral tube which extends along a length of the flexible enclosure.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tube includes a plurality of tube sections, each of which is attached at opposite edges thereof to a cross-section defining element.
Preferably, the flexible enclosure is formed with at least one overpressure release assembly.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the loading takes place principally by gravity and the unloading take place principally without requiring pumping.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, during travel of the vessel from a loading location to an unloaded location, the vessel is nearly completely underwater.
Additionally, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the first enclosure is a flexible enclosure. Preferably, the flexible enclosure includes a plurality of mutually spaced enclosure cross-section defining elements, which are joined by a tube of flexible material.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the light liquid enclosure and the sea water enclosure extends along generally the entire length of the first enclosure.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the light liquid enclosure and the sea water enclosure are divided into a plurality of compartments extending serially along generally the entire length of the first enclosure.